It’s not common I stop listening to a book before finishing it, if the book is not so great, I made a lot of effort to finish it. But this one was impossible, I couldn’t be involved and for me was a torture the time that I spent. In may opinion, the narrator in this book was terrible, all the times I imagined that he had a moustache that influenced his bad diction.

Of all the books I've read lately, this grabbed me fastest and has influenced me most. Told from the point of view of Peekay, a child of British breeding in South Africa, we see the roiling struggle for dominance and rule between the Boers and the British and the accompanying struggle for survival and dignity of the many native tribes and clans that made up the black majority in the region. How did a small but brilliant boy from a poor white family come to inspire the clans to unite and reach for the hope they know is there as much for them as for anyone else?

The story is gripping, the characters sympathetic, the time period fascinating, and the narration superb. Definitely not a book to ignore!

The Power of One is a good, solid story that keeps the reader involved. The reader is excellent. I will note a couple of caveats, depending on your viewpoint: there is lots of vulgarity, especially in the early going, and the Christian faith is presented in a blatantly mocking and demeaning light. There is a lot to like here, but these were definitely negatives for me.

What made the experience of listening to The Power of One the most enjoyable?

The reader, H. Bower, has a perfect voice for this book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Can't answer this question.

Have you listened to any of Humphrey Bower’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

My first.

If you could take any character from The Power of One out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The Zulu "brother" and chief who appeared near the end. He is so sincere and lives for his people. Also, it would be a pleasure to eat with someone who has such beautiful, white teeth and such classy manners.

Any additional comments?

This book teaches the reader about boxing and this I had not expected. I first saw the movie, which I count among my top 10 favorites. The story is excellent, a piece of history. As an audiobook it is among my top 5 favorites.

Where does The Power of One rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have listened to a number of books by this author and this one is one of the very best as many a skinny young fellow that has faced bullies when young can relate to his story, in my opinion this book can be enjoyed by young and old alike, I cannot speak for what ladies might enjoy, but it has so much realism and strife that I could personally feel and did experience similar and you cannot ask for more than that from any author, I have not been disappointed it any of Bryce Courtenay's books, all top notch.

Which character – as performed by Humphrey Bower – was your favorite?

PK and Doc, both equal, many times the old can learn from the young and vise versa that is what makes life great, always “Fair Exchange”.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, there are bullies in every part of the world and I learned young to hit the biggest, the hardest first, draw blood from the nose and the others left you alone till the following years, than the cycle begin again, sometimes I lost, but rarely did they come back for seconds. Sad today that much that changed us from boys to men and built our character is now considered either barbaric or politically incorrect.

Any additional comments?

The art of writing seems to have change to the point that I cannot related to many of the newer books and many of the truly great writers are now old, retiring and the young are sharing the great authors names, but not delivering. I am very careful when an old author appears with a new book as many times there are two or three riding his coat tails, but seem to fail in the good story telling department. I cannot wait to read Bryce’s next door stop novel.

Where does The Power of One rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Power of One is right up there standing strong with all my favorite books. The narration was perfect. The story was so good, I had a hard time putting it down to sleep. I loved how Mr. Courtenay took us through the life of a child and the life of a nation. This was a Daily Deal purchase. The best five bucks I ever spent.

The Power of One was originally published in the early nineties and released as an audiobook recently, read by Humphrey Bower. Just over twenty-one hours of listening, the story is a first person accounting of a white South African, beginning with his brutal childhood. The main character has the desire to pursue a career in boxing, which in itself holds little interest unless you enjoy the sport.

The tale describes the years of WWII in South Africa, through the eyes of an independent, albeit vulnerable boy. In this coming of age story, quirky characters, violence, sadness, and great happiness traverse the pages and Peekay’s life. The writing, in addition to the wonderful narration by Bower, is pleasant. I’ve a wee bit of trouble with all the laudatory praise. From personal perspective, it is a good book, but not great. The story itself is simply that of a child, from age five, through early adulthood, and subsequent adventures and tribulations. Frankly, in some areas, I glazed over and didn’t bother to rewind. Okay, if you like the genre of memoirs.

The Power of One is the story of a strong willed orphan with everything going against her in Dickensian England except her cunning and amazing ability with an abacus. But behind her rise to success is the equally cunning, but also unscrupulous and miserly Jewish fencer of stolen goods and leader of the underworld, the only one willing to give her a chance. And thus Mary, while pure of heart, must compromise herself to get ahead.

The intricate story line and depth of characters made for a great read, and Bower's reading captured the author's voice and those of the characters.